— Photo by David Booth

Members of the East Somerville community teamed with local businesses to draw hundreds of young basketball players and spectators to the first annual basketball tournament Feb 28. Students from grades 6-8 represented their neighborhoods.

Event organizers and East Somerville residents Judi Walker and Maisy Sullivan said the event brought together the best the neighborhood has to offer.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Families enjoyed a great day at Chuckie Harris Park on Saturday, taking part in the Connexion Easter Egg Hunt. Kids sought out the eggs, while parents and friends enjoyed the nice weather and camaraderie.

This week our guest columnist is Jacqueline Malone of the Mass. Poetry Festival.  She has just interviewed Executive Director of the Festival January O’Neil. The festival will be held May 2 to 3 in Salem, Mass. http://masspoetry.org.

In the last month or so there have been few people busier than our own January O’Neil, Executive Director of Massachusetts Poetry Festival, as she has been involved making and solidifying plans for the event. But she took time to answer some questions that give us her unique point-of-view on the May 2 through 4 event in Salem.  As you’ll see from her answers, she is one of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival’s most ardent fans!

Experimental, intelligent, and environmental, turtle grass, a series of shadows, Muddy River Books, Brookline Massachusetts, 2014, Irene Koronas’ third full length book of poems. Her language resonates, melts into the past and jointly falls forward. The poems are written in traditional form, as well as, informational writings on nature, and romantic musing; she remains true to her own style, eclectic. Koronas is a well known local poet and painter, a Mass College of Art, graduate. She is poetry editor for Wilderness House Literary Review and a member of the Bagel Bards.

Arrests:
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Stephen Tolliver, 62, of 240 Pearl St., April 15, 7:01 a.m., arrested at home on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and carrying a firearm without a license.

Craig Vivian, 25, of 167 Main St., Malden, April 15, 1:17 p.m., arrested at 65 Evergreen Ave. on a warrant charge of larceny over $250.

Harry Fenton, 54, of 3 White St., Arlington, April 16, 11:55 a.m., arrested at 137 Washington St. on a warrant charge of leaving the scene of property damage.

Jerry Bowser, also known as the “Boston Brawler” from his professional wrestling days, carried 2,350 pounds 900 feet across Ball Square in a wheelbarrow Saturday in order to raise money for two friends of his who each lost a leg during last year’s Boston Marathon bombing.

— Photos by Donald Norton

By Kenneth Gloss

Since the incredible World Series win of 2004 by the Boston Red Sox, interest in all sports has increased and over the past 25 years, interest in sports collectibles has continued to skyrocket. Baseball has been particularly popular – it is the epitome of America. There is a little bit of baseball woven throughout much of the American story, and there are books to collect for every era, every team, every league and every standout player in the history of the game.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Easter used to mean two things. Candy and new clothes. We would pack the family into dad’s ‘63 Chevy and drive to Anderson Little clothes store in Wellington, Medford, to pick out the itchiest, most uncomfortable suit there was. The shirt and tie came from Sears. Those clip-on ties were so much easier than making a knot. The suit felt like it was made out of a burlap potato sack.

Paul Carafotes & Son continue the adventure at Fenway
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Actor/author Paul Carafotes, Big Papi, and young Charlie Carafotes enjoy some pleasure reading between innings at Fenway Park.

By Jim Clark

Though it has only been two years since readers were first introduced to the fantastic world of Charlie Bubbles, the fictitious youngster with an affinity for sudsy adventure and discovery is now featured in a third volume entitled Charlie Bubbles to Fenway!